CHARLESTON, S.C. — State agents on Wednesday, Oct. 7, charged a former Charleston, S.C., police officer with misconduct in office after an investigation into an alleged sexual encounter that police say happened while he was on duty.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division identified the former officer as Stephen Austin Chavis, 27. He was booked into the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in Charleston County, and the 9th Circuit Solicitor’s Office will prosecute the case. SLED said the Charleston Police Department asked for the state investigation.
According to the Charleston Police Department, the alleged incident took place in late August while Chavis was working and had responded to a call for service at a home on James Island. The department said it learned of the allegation on Sept. 8, put Chavis on unpaid administrative leave right away and asked SLED to conduct an independent criminal investigation.
The department ran its own internal review at the same time. Officials said that review found Chavis had broken department policies, and he was fired Sept. 23. He had been with the department for three years and was assigned to the patrol division when the alleged incident happened.
Police Chief Chito Walker said the conduct the investigation substantiated was unacceptable. He said officers are given authority and access because the public trusts them to use both responsibly, and that the department will act when one of its members falls short of the standards the community expects.
Details of the allegation are contained in arrest warrants filed in the case. A charge is an accusation, and Chavis is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
